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Laila Fury
Just to add some clarity on how SSA actually applies the earnings test in your situation: 1. They'll look at your total earnings January-April (before FRA) 2. If those earnings exceed $62,160 (which yours don't at $25,000), they'd withhold $1 in benefits for every $3 above the threshold 3. The withholding would be applied to your monthly benefits starting from January 4. Once you reach FRA in May, no further withholding occurs regardless of earnings 5. At your FRA, SSA automatically adjusts your ongoing benefit amount to give you credit for any months benefits were withheld But since you're well under the threshold, this won't apply to you at all. You'll receive your full benefit amount with no reductions.
Hugo Kass
my dad just went thru this! he said make sure you tell them you reached FRA when you call because sometimes the customer service people get confused about which rule applies to you. he had to call back 3 times to get someone who understood the rule correctly lol
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When my husband passed away in 2015 I was really confused about all this too!! SSA is impossible to understand sometimes!!! One thing no one mentioned yet - has your sister checked her husband's earnings record to see what his benefit would have been? She should make a my social security account online to see her own projected benefit too if she hasn't already done that. No point stressing about all this if her own benefit will be higher anyway!!
Olivia Clark
•That's a really good point! I don't think she's checked either record yet. I'll help her set up the MySocialSecurity account so she can compare them. Would be silly to go through all this if her own benefit is higher anyway!
I HATE how the SSA punishes people who work! It's ridiculous that they'll withhold benefits if your sister keeps working. The whole system feels designed to force older people to retire early or lose out. My father-in-law lost thousands in benefits because he didn't understand the earnings limit when he started taking benefits at 62 while still working part-time. The SSA sent him a notice a year later demanding repayment! Anyone still working should be VERY careful about claiming early.
While the earnings test might seem punitive, it's important to understand it's not actually a penalty in the long run. Benefits withheld due to the earnings test result in a recalculation and increase to your monthly benefit amount once you reach FRA. Essentially, you're getting credit for those months when benefits were withheld. However, your point about the surprise factor is absolutely valid. Many people don't understand this rule and are shocked when they receive an overpayment notice or discover their benefits are being withheld. The SSA could definitely improve their communication about this.
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so did anyone actually answer how to determine the right amount? i'm still confused about this. is there some formula based on your other income?
There's no simple formula because it depends on your total income situation. But here's a rough guide: If your combined income (AGI + nontaxable interest + 1/2 of SS benefits) is between $32,000-$44,000 for married filing jointly, about 50% of your benefits are taxable. Over $44,000, up to 85% becomes taxable. So if you're well over $44,000, the 12% or 22% withholding options are usually more appropriate. Below that threshold, 7-10% might be sufficient.
Mason Lopez
Thank you all for the advice! I've downloaded the W-4V form and am going to try for 12% withholding based on your suggestions. I'll also check out that IRS Withholding Estimator to be sure. And I'm definitely going to look into Claimyr since I still have questions about how this affects my specific tax situation. Really appreciate everyone's help!
Vera Visnjic
•Smart approach! Remember you can always submit another W-4V later in the year if you need to adjust the percentage. Just be aware of that 1-2 month processing time whenever you make changes.
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Mei Lin
anybody know if taking care of a sick parent counts for anything with social security? like do u get credits or something for being a caregiver?
Jamal Wilson
•Unfortunately, Social Security doesn't provide work credits for caring for family members. However, there are some states that have paid family leave programs that might provide some income during caregiving periods. It varies by state though. This wouldn't affect your Social Security record directly, but at least provides some income while caregiving.
To definitively resolve this, you need to request a detailed earnings record and benefit calculation from SSA. They can provide a year-by-year breakdown showing exactly which 35 years are being used in your calculation and how changes in future earnings might affect your benefit amount. This is the only way to get complete clarity on your specific situation. One tip: When you speak with SSA, specifically ask for your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) based on your current earnings record, and ask them to explain how continued work until FRA might have changed that amount. Be persistent in getting a detailed explanation rather than a general answer.
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My sister went through this and just didn't report some of her cash jobs. Just saying...
I should point out that failing to report income to SSA is considered fraud and can result in penalties, repayment with interest, and even criminal charges in serious cases. All income should be properly reported to both the IRS and SSA.
Carmen Lopez
Based on your description, you may want to consider whether your husband qualifies for the Retirement Earnings Test (RET) exemption if he's in certain situations: 1. If he's truly retiring (reducing hours and earnings significantly) 2. If he's self-employed and will perform minimal services There's also a special rule when calculating benefits if he's truly stopping substantial work mid-year. In that case, regardless of annual earnings, he can receive full benefits for months where he earns under the monthly limit ($1,930 in 2025) AND doesn't perform substantial services in self-employment. I suggest scheduling an appointment with SSA to discuss these special rules, as they might apply to your husband's seasonal work situation.
Yuki Ito
•Thank you for mentioning these exceptions! His landscaping work definitely slows down dramatically in winter, so maybe the RET exemption would apply. I'll definitely ask about this when we talk to SSA.
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Jamal Harris
SSA rules are confusing!!! My aunt thought she would get both benefits too but ended up with just the higher one. Something about "dual entitlement" that the rep explained but I don't really understand all the details.
Zoe Stavros
•"Dual entitlement" is the technical term for this situation. It means when someone is eligible for both their own retirement benefit and a benefit as a spouse or survivor, SSA doesn't pay both full amounts. Instead, they pay the person's own benefit first, and then add only enough of the second benefit to bring the total up to the amount of the higher benefit. This effectively means you receive whichever benefit amount is higher, but not both combined.
Andre Moreau
Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! I'm going to look into that strategy of delaying my benefits until 70 to maximize what my wife would get as a survivor. I had no idea about these rules, and I'm glad I asked before we made our claiming decisions.
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The WHOLE Medicare system is designed to TRAP you into paying for Part B!!!! I went through this NIGHTMARE last year and even though I had employer coverage they STILL forced me to pay for 3 months of Part B before they finally fixed it. And don't even get me started on how they deducted the premiums directly from my SS payment without my permission!!! The system is BROKEN!!!
Nia Thompson
•My experience wasnt that bad. Maybe u just got unlucky with who u talked to? My rep was super helpful when I called.
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! From what I'm gathering, my two-step approach could work, but I need to: 1. Get the right forms (CMS-L564 from my employer and possibly CMS-1763) when initially declining Part B 2. Keep documentation of everything 3. Be prepared to act quickly if they still try to automatically enroll me in Part B when I apply for Social Security I think I'll go ahead with applying for just Medicare Part A now, and then I'll apply for Social Security in person at my local office next year rather than doing it online. That way I can make it very clear I want to maintain my Part A only status. I appreciate all the shared experiences - it really helps to know what to expect!
Sean Kelly
•That sounds like a solid plan. One more tip: when you go to the Social Security office for your retirement application, bring a copy of your Medicare card showing Part A only. This gives the claims representative a clear visual reminder of your current Medicare status and makes it easier for them to understand what you're trying to maintain.
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Sasha Ivanov
One more critical piece of advice: Request a "Technical Expert Review" specifically. These are SSA employees with specialized knowledge of complex provisions like WEP/GPO. The regular claims representatives often make mistakes with these rules. Also, if your mother's teaching service was after 1957, SSA should have records of her Social Security covered earnings from those years. Request her complete earnings record (SSA-7004) which might help prove her case. If the reconsideration is denied, you have 60 days to file for a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge. The success rate is much higher at this level because ALJs are more familiar with the nuances of these provisions.
We will definitely ask for a Technical Expert Review. I think that's been part of the problem - talking to representatives who don't fully understand these exceptions. She taught from 1968-2003, so all her service should be covered under SS based on what you're saying.
my uncle had something like this happen he said just keep calling every week for a status update or theyll forget about your case lol. the squeaky wheel gets the grease with these govt agencies
You're probably right! I've been trying not to be a pest, but maybe that's exactly what's needed to get some movement on this.
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Ravi Patel
Your so lucky to have been married 33 years and qualify for the survivor benefits! I was married 9 years and 10 months when we divorced - just missed the 10 year cutoff for divorced spouse benefits by TWO MONTHS! 😠Still bitter about it 7 years later lol
OMG that is AWFUL!!! Only 2 months short?? Did u try to appeal or anything?? The system is so unfair sometimes!!!
Ravi Patel
•Nope, apparently it's a hard cutoff - not even a day less than 10 years counts. My fault for not realizing this was a thing when we were separating. Would have dragged out the divorce a bit longer if I'd known!
Leila Haddad
I think everyone's missing something important here. If your own benefit at 70 will be higher than your husband's, you should look at whether your own reduced benefit now would be higher than the survivor benefit at 91.86%. It's complicated math, but if your own benefit at FRA is significantly higher than your deceased husband's, then your own benefit reduced at age 65 might still be better than the survivor benefit. Have you checked what your own benefit would be if you claimed right now vs. the survivor benefit amount?
That's actually not the optimal strategy in this case. Survivor benefits and retirement benefits have different rules. The better approach is to take the reduced survivor benefit now (if needed) and let her own retirement benefit grow until 70. This is because: 1) Taking her own retirement benefit early would permanently reduce it 2) She can switch from survivor to retirement at any point 3) If she takes her own retirement early, she can't later switch to just survivor benefits So if her own benefit at 70 will be higher than the survivor benefit, she should preserve that option by not claiming her own benefit early.
Leila Haddad
•Oh! You're absolutely right - I was confusing the rules. Thank you for the correction. So her original plan (survivor now, switch to her own at 70) is actually the optimal approach.
Giovanni Marino
good luck!!!! bring a NOTEPAD and write down everything they tell you and get the reps NAME!!!!! trust me on this one
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Sofia Rodriguez
Please do update us! I'm curious how much additional benefit you might get. I ended up with about $340 extra per month which has been really helpful with inflation being so high lately.
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